Monday, August 19, 2013

In my previous post, I mentioned that I was tweaking a cream and black color scheme, that I had used in the past. As I was perusing the internet, looking for black dinnerware, to mix with some of my white and ivory dishes, I came across this set from ZGallerie called, 'Octavia'...

I thought the geometric shape was fun and that it would pair well with ivory, gold, and crystal. Then, it occurred to me that this shape seemed familiar. As I rummaged the cabinets, through my old dinnerware sets, I came across these...

I bought this dinnerware back in the late 80's/early 90's, when everything was black lacquer and ultra contemporary! For some reason, I never got rid of this set. ZGallerie has their dinnerware priced at $39.80-$67.80, sold separately, in sets of four...chargers, dinner plates, salad plates, and soup bowls. I paid less than $39.80 for a whole sixteen piece set...lol!! My complete set was made up of dinner plates, salad plates, bowls, and mugs!

Monday, August 12, 2013

Hello, Everyone! Hope you had a great weekend! We're getting the girls settled back into college; and now, I'm able to focus more on my home. Lately, I have developed a new affinity for a color scheme that I had a few years ago...Cream and Black.

This time, I'm letting the wall colors, accessories, and drapes add just a touch of color. I am also adding a few more contemporary and modern pieces. Earlier this summer, we decided to buy new furniture for the family room. We had cream leather, with a different body style, that had served us well for many years. After looking at various types of sofas, of all styles and fabrications, I decided that I wanted cream leather AGAIN! This time, I wanted it to have a modern flare. After selecting a couple of color swatches, we brought them home and realized that we had picked the exact same color again! I guess it just comes down to, "we like what we like". Here is a "sneak peak" of what I'm working on...

Can you see the cream sofa arm, to the left? It's very contemporary; but blends beautifully with our existing furnishings. I love mixing styles, to keep things interesting. The sides have this "criss-cross" detail, with a tufted center...

The pieces were all custom made. We were able to choose the style that we wanted, along with the grade of leather. We decided on the sofa, loveseat, and a 'chair-and-a-half'. I love the clean lines and the flare of the high arms. I plan to add a few upholstered pieces, just to soften the look and break up the set.

Since we spend all of our time in this room, I didn't want a lot of fluffy pillows... (they usually end up all over the floor, anyway). So, I opted for a single "faux fur" mink pillow, and a round pillow, made of leather strips. The pillows add great texture to the room.

When paired with the faux fur zebra throw, the look is very clean and chic.

The creamy hydrangeas add the perfect accent for the coffee table!Along with the hydrangeas, I brought in black and cream accents by using a candle by Jo Malone. The 'Wild Fig and Cassis' scent is so fresh and clean. I alternate that one with the 'Grapefruit' scent by Nest. The mercury glass votives add just a touch of sparkle.

On the foyer table, the lamps with the red shades, that you have seen before, have been replaced with more modern black barrel shades. Again, I love a mix of styles to keep things interesting.

With the new color scheme, I can see myself doing lots of neutral decor for the Fall and Holiday seasons. Now that everyone is going back to school, I can really start to pull things together.Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you've enjoyed your visit; and as always, "Happy Decorating"!

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Hi Everyone!! Wow, it's so hard to believe that it has been 3 months, since my last post. Our summer has been quite the adventure! I had not planned to be away from the blog this long; but, that's just how life goes sometimes. Anyway, I wanted to do a short post to say, "Hello", and give you a hint of what I've been up to recently.

Back in the spring, I decided to notch up the wine country feel in our home, by adding a few accessories. One of the things that I purchased was this wooden pizza board from Pottery Barn. (It replaced a vintage pizza peel that I had hanging here.) I layered it on top of a Williams-Sonoma tea towel to keep it from blending into the persimmon-colored walls. We really enjoyed making pizzas outside, before the weather got too hot.

Dear Hubby also purchased this wicker tray for me, from Williams-Sonoma, to hold our oils and vinegars, next to the stove. He remembered me saying that I wanted to get this tray and surprised me with it...

I added a crystal vase to hold our wooden cooking utensils. I'll probably end up replacing it with a ceramic crock.

So, imagine my excitement, when I got the latest Williams-Sonoma catalog in the mail! The inspirations are taken from the California wine country. We still love to incorporate warm, rich colors into our home, as it has a Tuscan influence. Many of my inspirations and colors were taken from my travels to Napa and the years that we lived outside of Austin, Texas, near the Texas Wine Trail and the Hill Country. The setting is just gorgeous!

Doesn't this spread look inviting? I can't wait until we are out of the triple digit heat! I love alfresco meals, especially during the fall season. I'm ready to get out and set a table like this! The olive branch dinnerware and amethyst glassware are perfect.

I still have some Williams-Sonoma gift cards burning a hole in my pocket; and I can't wait to stop in this week! As you may recall from some of my previous posts, it is one of my all-time favorite places to shop!! I have seen some wonderful pieces that I'd love to get online and in the catalog.

Well, that's it for today. I am planning to add more of the wine country feel to our home and will be back to share those additions with you!

SHOP KINSLEY ARMELLE JEWELRY

About Me

Wife. Mother. Lifestyle Blogger. I'm a Southern girl, born and raised in Louisiana, who migrated to Texas, and loves everything about decorating and entertaining. I call my decor style a "gumbo". It's Southern style, with a twist. It's a dash of Tuscan, a splash of French, a pinch of Old World and a hint of Contemporary. I invite you to join me as I share my fabulous finds and lifestyle ideas.